


A Night at the Inn

by ellie_effie



Series: Trailing Veilfire [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Accidental First Date, F/M, Flirting, Haven (Dragon Age), POV Lavellan (Dragon Age), POV Original Character, Pre-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - In Your Heart Shall Burn, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:47:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27244465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellie_effie/pseuds/ellie_effie
Summary: What started out as a dinner with a friend took a turn to an accidental first date of sorts.A lot of flirting, bit of pining.
Relationships: Female Inquisitor/Solas (Dragon Age), Female Lavellan/Solas, Lavellan & Solas
Series: Trailing Veilfire [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870522
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	A Night at the Inn

**Author's Note:**

> The song I reference to is "Once We Were" written by Raney Shockne, Alec Brian Puro and Christopher P. Gubisch. I do not own the rights to this song. All rights belong to the owner. No Copyright Infringement Intended.

“You’re into Solas, aren’t you?”, Sera asked blatantly. 

“I am not!”, Yondi’nne replied, but Sera just laughed at her. She immediately regretted joining her friend for dinner at the Singing Maiden, despite not wanting to have yet another meal alone. Luckly, the usual bustling of the inn was loud enough that she thought nobody could hear their conversation. Gods, Solas would be mortified if he found out that she had been discussing their relationship with Sera, of all people!

“Look,” Sera continued, loudly slurping her soup every couple of words, “you can try to fool me as much as you’d like, I don’t care. But that blushing on your cheeks whenever I mention him...”, Sera cocked her soup covered chin at her and she felt her cheeks burning. “Yes! That one! That can’t fool nobody, I’m telling you.”

“It’s not like that, it’s just… Ugh!” Yondi’nne gave up all pretense of composure and put both hands over her face. “I wish I could tell you I only go up to talk to him because I value his counsel and the things he has to teach me but…”

When she bit her lip, Sera chuckled and waved her hands. “Go on! You need to talk about it before you explode, y’know. I’ll keep my food down, promise.”

With a deep sigh and staring down her bowl of soup, Yondi’nne finally opened up to her friend. She told her about the day they had been climbing a hill on the Hinterlands and Yondi’nne lost her footing and almost fell on her face. With one swift move, Solas caught her by the waist and helped her up with more ease than she would have expected from a mage. And before she could feel embarrassed for almost falling, he made a comment about how the rocks were slippery and added “I’m glad you’re not injured.” Yondi’nne would have pullled him by the arms and kissed him if Cassandra hadn’t alerted them about the band of Templars a few metres ahead.

A couple of days after that was when Yondi’nne knew she was gone for sure. One of the refugees had told them their supplies were low and people would likely starve if nothing was done. So off she went, a Dalish mage with almost zero experience in hunting, to forage for ram meat. If it wasn’t for Varric and Bianca, it would’ve probably taken her a month. Yondi’nne remembered how proud she was to be bringing their spoils back to the refugees. But what made her heart really skip a beat was the smile that grew wider on Solas’s face as they made their way back to camp. That serious, taciturn apostate had the warmest smile she had ever seen, and Yondi’nnne started to wonder what she could do to have Solas smiling more often. And if she could do just that, she would be happy and want for nothing more.

“Aww!”, Sera gave her a forced smile. Two soldiers were laughing loudly on the table next to them and a bard was tuning his lute in the corner, but Yondi’nne was still hearing the leaves of the Hinterlands rustling in the wind.

“Sera, I find myself going up to talk to him about the silliest, most trivial things. Just because I want to hear his voice.” Yondi’nne put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her clasped fingers. “It’s not like I can do anything about it, but… This is such a bad idea.”

“Hey, you’re in love!”, Sera said, playfully punching her shoulder. “There is nothing wrong with that! Well, there are probably a million things wrong with him, but whatever floats your boat, y’know?”

“But, Sera! It’s not wise!”, Yondi’nne said, exasperated as Sera scoffed at her. “There is the Breach we must tend to, we are basically two apostates in a Chantry military camp, and I don’t even know if he feels the sam…” 

She stopped herself. It wasn’t quite true that she didn’t know if Solas felt the same. He might, from what he had said earlier.

“What is that?”, Sera asked, chuckling at the mischievous smile that had popped in her friend’s face.

Leaning forward, Yondi’nne whispered: “He told me the other day that it would be fascinating to see my focus dominated.”

Sera had to blink a couple of times before saying: “Ok, that was smooth. Would never’ve thought he had it in him.” 

“So maybe there could be something there, but I’m not sure…”, Yondi’nne said, going back to her dinner, but Sera blew raspberries at her.

“Look, it’s all scary right now, I know…”, Sera said, suddenly tender. “But if it’s him you want, I mean, the world will always need saving, so you best go and get yourself some happiness, know what I’m saying?” Yondi’nne smiled fondly at the rogue, who quickly went back to her cheeky self and shouted. “What you need is to grab that man by his droopy ears and give him a proper snogging that makes the cobwebs in his breeches fall loose.”

Yondi’nne snorted. “What makes you think he won’t push me away?” 

“Push you into bed more like!” Sera said and giggled through a mouthful of potatoes and carrots.

Yondi’nne laughed but suddenly widened her eyes. She felt the pit of her stomach grow colder and her chest warmer, as Solas opened the door of the inn and walked over to the counter. Noticing the change in her friend’s expression, Sera looked over her shoulder and shot back a devilish smile at her friend sitting across from her. 

“Speak of the demon…”, Sera said while wiggling her eyebrows. Yondi’nne opened her mouth to beg Sera to be discreet, but the rogue was quicker “Oi, Solas!” He blinked fast and looked around the room, when his eyes found Sera’s hand waving at him, Solas slightly furrowed his brows. “Come sit with us!”

He walked over in their direction with his own bowl of soup on his hand and seemed a bit calmer when he noticed Yondi’nne sitting at Sera’s table. 

“Good evening, Sera. Mistress Lavellan.”, Solas said with a short bow to each woman. Yondi’nne said hello back but Sera just huffed.

“So, Solas! What brings you here?”, Sera asked.

“It’s… the only place in the village where one can have a hot meal?”, Solas replied, his brows slightly furrowing again.

“Oh, you’re right about that!”, Sera said with a wink at Solas. Was it her eyes or did Yondi’nne really see his ears blush? “Well, come get your hot meal with us then!”

Solas cleared his throat and stole a glance at Yondi’nne. “Am not interrupting anything?”

“Nah, don’t be daft!”, Sera said. “Here, take my chair!” Without standing up, Sera threw her body over on the seat next to her and pointed at the now empty seat across from Yondi’nne.

Solas placed his bowl on the table and sat on the chair. “Well, at least I will know you haven’t put any nails on my seat, Sera.”

Yondi’nne laughed a bit more loudly than she would have, but Solas didn’t seem to mind and shot a smile in her direction. Behind his shoulder, Sera cocked her head in his direction while smirking at Yondi’nne.

“And how have you been, Solas?”, Yondi’nne asked.

“I am well, thank you for asking.”, Solas said cheerfully. “How have you been?”

“Quite well. No complaints.” She looked over at Sera, whose eyebrows shot up, in an attempt to egg her on. “And... how is your soup?”

Sera mouthed an impatient “What?” to her, but Solas wasn’t paying attention to the young elf next to him. 

“My soup is delicious.” Pointing at her own bowl with his spoon, Solas asked: “You don’t like yours?”

Yondi’nne looked down at her now significantly cooler dinner and got a spoonful. “Oh, no, I like it. It is, uh, delicious.”

They all fell silent as they continued to eat their meal, and Yondi’nne noticed how Solas lips had curled up since he had sat down. She would have been content just being there, near him. Her eager friend on the other side of the table, however, seemed to have other plans.

“It was a weird coincidence you showed up just now, Solas. We were just talking about you!” Sera spoke in a casual tone and Yondi’nne tensed up. Solas, on the other hand, seemed slightly curious.

“Oh, were you? And what is it about me you found worthy of discussion, Sera?”

“Yondi’nne was telling me…” with a naughty wink at her, Sera finished off: “how you helped her hunt down some rams in the Hinterlands.”

That was far from what Yondi’nne was expecting Sera to say, so she couldn’t help but feel relieved.

“Oh, that was a grueling task! Those animals are surprisingly fast.”

“Nasty buggers they are, with the horns and all.”, Sera said. “Do you have much experience with hunting, Solas?”

“Some, even if it’s hardly my favourite activity.” Solas looked back at Yondi’nne. “But it was very gracious of the Herald to take time to help the refugees.”

It was Yondi’nne’s turn to feel her ears blushing. “It was really the least we could do…”, she said, twirling her spoon in her soup.

Solas relaxed in his seat and leaned forward, placing both elbows on the table. “I disagree, some things you do are true acts of kindness.” She looked up to find his bright grey eyes staring straight at her. “Has Yondi’nne told you…” Hearing him speak her name in that low, calm voice never failed to make her breath catch on her throat. “...about the very exciting afternoon we spent herding a ram back to his owner in Redcliffe, Sera?”

“Hey!”, Yondi’nne said in mock indignation. “What was I supposed to do? Not help the man? Leave poor Lord Woosley to his own devices?”

“You remember his name!”, Solas said, raising his eyebrows and chuckling.

“Oh, I remember a lot of things from that particular trip to the Hinterlands.”, Yondi’nne said, unconsciously leaning forward in his direction and propping her chin on her hand.

“Such as?”, Solas replied, lowering his voice.

To their surprise, that was the moment Sera chose to slap the wooden table and push her chair back making a startling amount of noise. “So, I’mma let you two reminiscing about your countryside trip while I use the facilities, alright?”

From behind Solas’s shoulder, Sera cheekly pulled on her own ears and made a kissing face at Yondi’nne, who angrily mouthed back “Stop!” at her.   
After making sure that Sera was busy, on the far corner of the inn and leaning against a wall to chat with one of the barmaids, Yondi’nne turned her attention back to Solas. He was calmly observing the room around them, still slightly leaning forward. Not sure if it had been Sera’s words about chasing happiness or the impression the Solas had been flirting with her that evening, but Yondi’nne felt a sudden burst of determination.

“You know something that stayed with me back then?” Yondi’nne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear after Solas had turned his head to her again. “It was when we took flowers to that little shrine, you know, after her widower in Redcliffe asked us?”

“Oh, yes!”, Solas said, with a glimmer in his eyes. “It might have seemed like a small gesture, but it brought such joy to the man.”

“I thought it was odd that you appreciated it so much, us going all the way up that hill and back just to place some flowers in a shrine and say a prayer to Falon’Din. You don’t observe any other elven traditions…” Solas calmly shook his head. “...but that one seemed to move you.”

Solas licked his lower lip before he spoke. “Because that one had little to do with the gods, or even traditions. It was about family, about paying respect to those who have passed. About a man honouring the woman he loved.”

His words were followed by a twitch of his eyebrows that Yondi’nne for a second thought were of sadness, but it was gone so quickly that she couldn’t say for sure. Yondi’nne then slid her free hand across the table until it was temptingly near his fingers.

“You are truly fascinating, you know that?”

Solas let out a breathy chuckle and this time his ears definitely blushed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard that from a Dalish.”

“But I’m nor saying it because I’m Dalish.”, Yondi’nne said with a shrug. “I’m saying it because it’s what I think.”

Solas narrowed his eyes at her with a playful smirk on his lips. “And I do appreciate the candour.” 

Before Yondi’nne could answer, they were interrupted by the sound of applause and whistles as Maryden walked over to the fireplace. After that, the people around them got quiet and Yondi’nne thought it would be in bad taste to continue their conversation. With a smile at Solas, she turned on her chair to better see the bard.

“Do you enjoy music?”, Solas asked, still facing her and with one hand leisurely on top of the other.

“I do.”, she answered. “But I suppose we can enjoy--” Yondi’nne recognised the first few notes of the first song she heard after arriving in Haven. “Oh, I love this one!”

The melancholic tune somehow sounded even sadder Maryden’s sweet voice. She closed her eyes and remembered wandering around the streets of the village with everyone staring at her, unsure if she was supposed to be their prisoner or their saviour. She remembered how she walked into the inn, not even knowing what the building was, and listening to the words for the first time.

Once we were  
In our peace  
With our lives assured.  
Once we were  
Not afraid of the dark

Yondi’nne remembered how alone she felt, and how the presence of another elven mage was a relief to her. The sense of kinship to Solas she had felt that had prompted her to say she would defend him for the Chantry forces around them. 

Once we sat in our kingdom  
With hope and pride.  
Once we ran through  
The fields with great strides.

Absently, she reached for him across the table with her eyes still closed and looped her finger on his wrist. 

We held the Fade  
And the demon's flight  
So far from our children  
And from our lives.  
We held together  
The fragile sky  
To keep our way of life.

The threaded wool of his tunic and the cool skin under her fingers seemed all the more real. On her hand, the mark tingled as she tightened her grip.

That time he took her hand to help her close the rift that first time, Yondi’nne had noticed how large his hand was. Now it felt soft, delicate and almost fragile. 

Once we raised  
Up our chalice  
In victory.  
Once we sat  
In the light of our dreams.

She didn’t hold back a smile when he gently moved his other hand so his index finger brushed against the tips of her fingers.

Once we were  
In our homeland  
With strength and might.  
Once we were  
Not afraid of the night.

Maryden finished her song, Yondi’nne waited until the sound of applause was dying out to open her eyes. Solas was smiling down at their hands but coyly removed his for her grip. He looked down and sighed deeply, but when he looked back at her, his smile had returned.

“It’s getting quite late.”, Solas said in a low voice. The typical babel of the in was growing louder and they both had long finished their meal.

“Will you walk me to my cabin?”, Yondi’nne said before Soas could stand from his chair. Her mind raced to find an acceptable excuse for her request; the cabin wasn't far and the village was always extremely well guarded. To her surprise, Solas nodded in acquiescence. 

He stood and waited for her to go ahead, and they both made their way through the tables with excited patrons talking and singing along to one of Maryden’s more cheerful tunes. Yondi’nne purposefully ignored Sera’s wink and thumbs up as they were walking out the door.

The cabin she was staying at was only a few paces from the inn, but Yondi’nne decided to walk uncommonly slow. Solas didn’t seem to mind , as he followed her with a slight curl on his lips and his hands clasped on his back. Their footsteps in the snow echoed louder in the silent streets, and while Solas seemed unbothered by the cold, Yondi’nne brought her hands up to her mouth and breathed on them. Her face was lit by the cackling green glow of the mark, and she felt the tingling on her palm to be particularly insistent that night.

They took a few steps in silence, and when Yondi’nne began to ask “So do you--?”, Solas at the same time began “How does it--?”. Both shared a breathy laugh and Solas gestured with his head for her to go ahead.

“Oh, no, please, Solas!”, she said solicitously waving her hands at him. “The gods know how I already pester you enough with my questions”

“You could never pester me, Yondi’nne.”, he declared, making her blush for the hundredth time that night. “But I was going to ask… if you wish to change tactics for the assault on the Breach we are planning.”

“Oh, that…” It wasn’t the type of question Yondi’nne was expecting but it was better than nothing, she supposed. “I don’t think so. But why you ask?”

“Because there could be...” Solas glanced at the glowing hand she was trying to keep warm with her breath (or did he glance at her mouth?). “There could be unforeseen consequences. This is an unprecedented situation, after all.”

“But if we don’t try, we’ll never know, will we?”, she asked and playfully raised an eyebrow at him. “Besides, I trust your judgement on this.”

“And why is that, exactly?”, he asked bluntly and Yondi’nne was surprised at how the question hurt her, and she huffed a laugh at him.

“Because you’ve been right in your judgements about the Breach since you first held my hand and helped me close the rift.” They arrived at her doorstep as she finished the sentence, but when she turned to look at him, Solas was looking up at the torn sky. “Solas.” When he looked at her, he reached her hand and brushed her finger on his. “I told you this before. I trust your judgement because I trust you.”

Solas smiled and shook his head, but the soft sound his feet made when he took a step in her direction made Yondi’nne grab his fingers between her index and her thumb.

“You…”, he began but seemed to change his mind in the middle of the sentence. “Trust is not something I’ve come to expect.”

“Well. That’s too bad.” Yondi’nne took a step in his direction and stood on the tips of her toes. “It is what you’re going to get from me.”

Her breath was caught in her throat when she noticed Solas’s fingers had closed around hers and he was slowly leaning down to her. Yondi’nne closed her eyes and clutched his fingers tighter. And when Solas’s warm, soft lips pressed a kiss on her forehead, she was oddly far from disappointed.

She opened her eyes to find his staring back at her while his mouth had gone slack. Solas muttered a quick “Good night” and dropped her hand before turning his back at her and rushing back to his own cabin. Yondi’nne leaned against the door of her cabin and watched until Solas had disappeared around a corner. Making a considerable effort not to giggle like an adolescent, she went inside her cabin.

**Author's Note:**

> About what I consider to be canon interactions that appear in this story:
> 
> To me (and to my story), it's a fact that Solas flirts with Lavellan openly and intentionally. What makes him hit the brakes is the thought of having to deceive her and hide his identity and his future plans. 
> 
> And Sera is also absolutely supportive of her friend and her happiness, despite her opinions on Solas not being the most favourable ones.


End file.
